Jim is survived by his 4 children: Sandra Collier (Prairie Village, KS); Debra Collier Carver & Mike Carver (Shawnee, KS); Jimmy & Kim Collier (Edmond, OK); David Collier (Oxford, MI), 10 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren. He was proceeded in death by his wife Nettie Collier in 2002.
Jim was born on October 8, 1931 in Carmen, Oklahoma to George and Ida Collier. After graduating from Carmen High School, he served in the Navy on the USS Everglades from January 1951 thru November 1954.
After the service, he followed his passion for cars working in a Chevrolet Dealer in Wichita, KS where he met his wife Nettie. He enjoyed a 34-year career with General Motors and was a loyal company man.
His love for anything mechanical began as a teenager when he rigged a washing machine motor and battery to his bicycle to ride into town from the farm. He was very excited to be one of the first to order the 2020 mid-engine corvette and he knew how to fly a plane. Jim loved technology – he always had the latest iPhone, computer, etc. Growing upw e were one of the first families to have a remote-control TV and a microwave. Jim was always on the cutting edge.
He enjoyed traveling around in his motorhome towing anything...motorcycles, boats, or cars!
He bought his first motorcycle when he was in the navy and he has owned a motorcycle every year of his life since then. Jim attended Daytona Bike Week and the Sturgis Rally on a regular basis and enjoyed riding the tail of the dragon.
He taught all of us how to ride motorcycles, drive cars, drive boats, fish, camp, and enjoy a quiet, peaceful, simple, easy way of life. Growing up, he took us to car races, motorcycle races, the sand dunes the salt plains in Oklahoma, every lake in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, the beach, and the mountains. He took us to air shows. Every year, without fail, he took us to the family reunion in Carmen, Oklahoma and Eagle Chief Cemetery.
Family and friends were very important to Jim, rarely missing a day at the coffee shop. We know that he was loved and that you wish you could be here to hug us and support us in our time of grief. A celebration of life will be scheduled later when it is safe to do so.
